


With Tattered Wings

by WillowFaerie82



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Sophia Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2018-01-11 16:39:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1175352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowFaerie82/pseuds/WillowFaerie82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would Daryl and Carol's relationship look like if Daryl had found Sophia alive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With Tattered Wings

Halfway across the field, toward the section of woods he was going to check; Daryl had a thought. He ran back the way he’d come double timing it to the porch where everyone was taking cover from the heat. 

“Has anyone actually been back to the highway since we got here?” Daryl looked around at the guilty looks on everyone’s faces and snorted in disbelief. Although with this group, he realized, he shouldn’t be surprised. “You people amaze me. How did y’all make it this far?” Daryl turned not waiting for a reply. “I’m taking the bike. I’ll be back before sundown. Hopefully Sophia’s got more sense than God gave the lot of ya; and stayed put if she made it back there.” 

The trip to the highway seemed to take forever, and no time at all. Daryl slowed and stopped the motorcycle several yards before the car where they’d left the food and bottled drinks. He didn’t want to alert any walkers that might be close to the vehicle. Daryl was both elated and fearful when he noted that the box was no longer on the hood in front of the message. When he was able to look in the windshield some of the fear drained out of him. The front passenger seat was reclined as far back as it could go and Daryl could see a blond head and the shoulders of a blue shirt. On the drivers seat was the box of food. Daryl made note of the fact that too much of the food was gone. Someone needed to teach the girl how to ration. She’d have been out of food in a day, and that box should have lasted a tiny scrap like her a week and a half. Now he had to figure out how to alert the child to his presence without giving her a heart attack. Daryl realized there was nothing for it. No matter what he did he was going to scare her. He moved to the driver’s side and knocked three times sharply and deliberately. No response. Was the girl dead? No, she couldn’t be. He’d come this far; he’d found her. She had to be alive. The back window was open just far enough to let air in, but not fingers. Smart girl. Daryl knocked again, this time in the ‘Shave and a haircut’ rhythm. Definitely not something a Walker would know to do. And he said her name into the cracked window. That got her attention. She looked scared for a moment, like she didn’t know where she was. But as soon as she turned her head and saw him, Daryl thought her face brightened a little. He watched her knock the remaining food into the foot well of the drivers side and shift into the seat.

“Mr. Daryl, hi! Is my mom with you? Is everyone ok?” She asked once she got the window rolled down. 

“Everyone’s fine. Your mom’s with ‘em all at a farm just up the road a ways. I brought my bike ‘cause it goes faster than a car. You coming; or were you gonna stay here and take your chances?” Daryl asked already moving back to the bike. Before he’d even made it three feet he heard the door creak open and slam closed. He waited to feel the bike shift under her weight and was surprised when it didn’t. He glanced over his shoulder at her and saw how unsure she looked. Kid had probably never been on a motorcycle. “Ya ever ridden a horse before?” He asked and grunted when she nodded. “Good it’s a lot like that. You see those pegs sticking out the sides kinda low down?” Again he waited for her to look and nod, “they’re like the stirrups you put your feet on those grab a hold of my sides and move when I move. We’ll be back to your mom in no time.” Daryl held the bike steady while the girl got on and when he felt her grab his shirt he started the bike and took off.

Daryl knew they had to have heard the bike coming up the driveway so he wasn’t surprised to see everyone, even the Greene’s clamoring off the porch when they pulled up. He held the bike steady again as she hopped off and ran to her mother. He then put the kickstand down and climbed off at a more sedate pace. He could see from the looks in their eyes that most of the people surrounding him wanted to touch him in one form or another, probably hugs, and he didn’t want any part of that. So he pushed his way through the group and called over his shoulder, “I’m going hunting. Be back later.” Making sure his crossbow and quiver were still slung over his back. 

The hunt didn’t take as long as Daryl would have liked. He managed to find a boar that must have gotten away from a neighboring farm early on, it was practically feral. Coming back into view of the farm Daryl felt a sense of pride in himself. He’d done everything he set out to that day. Brought a lost, little girl back to her mother and provided food for them – the group – all of them. As he made his way out of the woods he caught site of movement out of the corner of his eye. He was about to drop the boar and raise his weapon when he realized it was Carol and Sophia with Rick hovering near but not too close. The wind shifted and Daryl picked up what Carol was telling the little girl. She was explaining how some plants and flowers near by could be used in place of common pharmaceuticals; which would start to become scarce as time went on. Rick glanced up and saw Daryl closing in on the women’s position so he signaled his intent to leave. Daryl gave a nod and made his way close to Carol.

“Pick plenty of the sage and rosemary. They’ll go good with the boar I just got.” Daryl pointed it out when Carol looked questioningly at him. Her face lit, shining with approval when she saw the size of the kill Daryl had. Daryl felt something flip warmly in his stomach at the look. Carol was proud. It was a good day. As they walked back to the farmhouse Daryl couldn’t help but ask “how’d you know about all the uses for those plants you saw?” He knew some, from reading up on Native American culture, but had been unaware of most. 

“We Sommers women don’t reveal our secrets.” Carol responded with a wink to Sophia, and a wide grin to Daryl. When they got back to the house there was a flurry of activity. 

“What’s going on?” Daryl asked Rick, who was taking his family’s tent down.

“Hershel invited us to stay in the house. I get the feeling there’s something going on here that we’re not seeing. I think we need to keep as close an eye on these people as they’ve been keeping on us.” Rick finished nodding out to the yard where the woman – Patricia - was moving quickly from the chicken coop to a dilapidated, small barn. Daryl nodded his understanding and went to fill Carol and Sophia in on what was going on. 

They’d had several good weeks, gotten too comfortable as far as Daryl was concerned; Fall was starting to set in. The shit hit the fan in the worst possible way, and life got crazy. Carl and Sophia had been playing, unsupervised – which Daryl was going to have words with Carol about – when they’d heard Walker-like sounds from that old barn. Carl had gone right to Shane who proceeded to freak the hell out, and insist that either the captive Walkers be put down, or He and Lori were leaving. It was decided, after much discussion, that the barn full of Walkers would be dealt with as quickly and humanely as possible. It was also decided at that time, that Shane and Lori would be leaving the group. Carl opted to stay, giving Sophia a long, significant look that Daryl and Carol both noticed. Two nights after the couple left a herd, the size of which none of them had seen, descended on the farm. This motley, new family was now on the move. 

At first they didn’t go far. Just to a small, white, clapboard house a couple miles away from the Greene farm. But they knew they wouldn’t be able to stay there long. The town they’d been scavenging from was starting to run low on supplies. They made their way back to the highway, where Daryl found a pickup truck that he could store the bike in the bed of; so that Sophia could ride with them. Instead of being separated, which Daryl could tell made Carol nervous. 

The group was on the road for the better part of two days before they found what they would later agree was the one thing that saved them that first Winter. Carol spotted it as they came upon what would turn out to be the biggest traffic jam they’d ever come across. “Daryl.” She said, quietly in deference to the sleeping child between them, “Up ahead off the side of the highway, there’s, I think, a Wal-Mart truck. Oh Daryl, we have to at least attempt to check it out. Please?” Daryl nodded his agreement and signaled to the rest of the caravan his desire to stop. The women stayed with the vehicles while the men secured a wide swath around the broken down semi. The lock was still intact on the doors, and the driver was nowhere in sight. Both things they would count as ‘wins’. Once they broke into the back they called the women over to help them sort and organize. The trailer was almost full to the brim with a little bit of everything; except food. Beth, Maggie, and Sophia were a little stunned at the idea of ‘going shopping’ in this new, post-apocalyptic, environment. As a group they decided to spend the night camped on the far side of the trailer, out of sight of the highway. 

Spirits were high the next day, after they’d gone though the trailer and taken as much as they could stuff into every nook and cranny of every vehicle. They had gotten everything they were taking packed away by dinnertime and were getting ready to call it a night when Daryl had a thought. “Did anyone go through the cab? I doubt there’ll be much of anything in there, but the driver might have had a more detailed map. I’ll check it out.” Daryl said leaning into Carol for a brief moment before standing to move to the front of the truck. Daryl found the more detailed map and brought it over to the group and the fire so that everyone could look over it. Rick looked up at Daryl, just as he was getting ready to catch the other mans attention. They’d seen it at the same time. A prison. A possibly safe, definitely defensible location. According to their best estimates, if they didn’t run into too many more traffic snarls they could be there in a couple days time. Things were looking up.

The group took their time getting to the prison. None of them willing to admit they were a little scared of what they’d find there. There were just too many variables: It could have been razed to the ground, or filled with former-inmate Walkers. Or worse yet, filled with live inmates. 

“Carol I want you to do me a favor, stay outside the fence, keep yourself, and ‘Phia hidden until we get an idea of what’s what in there. Will ya do that for me?” Daryl asked, his tone suggesting it wasn’t really a request. He’d come to realise in the time he’d spent around Carol that he felt something pretty deep for her. He couldn’t say if it was love, he didn’t think he’d ever really know what that was. But he wanted an opportunity to figure it out. And something in his gut was telling him that if she went into that prison, on recon, he’d never have a chance. She must have seen something in his eyes, because she was quick to agree.

“Yeah, but then I want you to do me a favor.” She waited for his nod before riffling around in her shoulder bag. “I grabbed these out of the Wal-Mart truck, and put batteries in them,” she handed him a small walkie-talkie and showed him it’s twin in her hand. “I want you to keep this on you, and keep me in the loop. I want to know what’s happening in there, and for you to know if something happens out here.” 

Daryl agreed with this idea, whole heartedly. He wondered, briefly when the mousey woman he’d never really known at the quarry had grown into the strong, capable woman in front of him. “I don’t know what the range is on these things, so when we head into the prison I want you two to head for the woods. Stay close to the edge, and if the walkies don’t reach that far I’ll come get you at the most 12 hours after we go in. That work for you?” 

“Yeah that works for me. Just be safe in there. Come back to us.” Carol ordered. Daryl felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her then, just to reassure her that he would. He telegraphed his intention wanting to give her an opportunity to tell him to go to hell if he was reading the situation wrong. He’d been right though; Carol was moving toward him at the same time. The kiss was quick and a little awkward, what with Sophia sitting on Carol’s other side, against the door. But it was a promise made by each participant, and that was all that mattered. 

Six hours later Daryl was checking in over the walkie letting Carol and Sophia know that the ‘yard’ was safe. The group would camp out there overnight then make their way inside the next day. That night there was a celebratory mood around the small fires they’d started. Beth sang a couple of church hymns, and a few old country songs. Daryl had decided that he, Carol, and Sophia would be sharing a tent. He’d come to the conclusion that he wanted to keep them both as close to him as possible. But he wasn’t ready to tell the world. He’d taken first watch on top of an overturned bus, and when Carol came to bring him dinner he expressed his ‘tent sharing’ idea to her. He shrugged off her attempt at flirting, but he watched her walk back to the rest of the group. He didn’t want to take his eyes off of her. 

Once they made it into the prison, and realised their worst fears were unfounded they quickly moved in and made the place their own. Daryl, Rick and Glenn made a run back to the Wal-Mart truck for the bedding, and other odds and ends that they’d agreed as a group to leave behind. But now that they had a safe base they decided to retrieve them. By the time they got back the group that remained at the prison had figured out a way to remove the top bunks in the cells, making them feel more like rooms, found the infirmary (for which Hershel and Carol, who was learning a lot from him, were imminently happy), and done some general tidying up. Daryl wasn’t quite sure how to react to Sophia’s declarations of his ‘awesomeness’ for finding bedding specifically for her. It wasn’t anything super special, and Daryl wasn’t even sure when he’d learned, let alone retained, that the girl’s favorite color was orange. 

“Get some sleep ‘Phia. If your mom says it’s ok I’ll take ya out hunting with me tomorrow, but if you’re not well rested you’re not going.” He laughed as he watched her skip two cells down to what she’d picked as her room. They’d taken the prison issued sheets and blankets off the beds and done their best to jury-rig them into an extra layer of privacy, so Daryl watched until he saw the light on the girls camp-lantern dim and extinguish completely, then he made his way to the cell he was sharing with Carol. She’d kept the bunks intact and Daryl wondered if all her flirting on the bus the other day was nothing more than a game to her. He wasn’t ready to ask yet though, so he started a different conversation. “Hey, would it be okay if I take ‘Phia out hunting with me tomorrow? She’s a good kid; quiet when she needs to be. I think it’d be good for her to learn. We won’t go far, and we won’t stay out overnight.” He knew he was starting to sound ridiculous so he shut up and let her think for a minute. Daryl was starting to get nervous when she didn’t say anything for a long while. He was afraid he’d overstepped the bounds of whatever they were becoming. He was about to rescind the offer when Carol spoke.

“You’ll watch her every second. And at the first sign of Walkers you’ll hightail it back here. I almost lost her once. That’s not going to happen again.” Carol’s voice was no-nonsense. Daryl knew that if anything should happen to the girl on his watch he shouldn’t bother coming back. So he would just not let anything happen. 

“Ain’t gonna let anything happen to her. I’m hoping we’ll be able to get a deer. With the generators still working here we’ll actually be able to freeze the meat, have it for longer than a couple days. But Sophia will be my first priority.” Daryl assured, keeping his eyes on Carol’s a little longer than he was actually comfortable with, but if it would convince her that’s all that mattered. 

“Then yes, I would appreciate Sophia learning something that will make her more useful to the group. I just hate that she has to grow up so fast. You know. She’s only 12, well no. That’s not right. Her birthday is at the end of September. So I guess she’s 13 now. Not that it matters in this world. Anyway; yes you can take her hunting.” Carol finished saying. Then she shook her head and quickly made her way out of the cell. 

The next morning Daryl woke early and was readying his bow and arrows. He had checked and Carol was already up and about for the day, probably starting breakfast. So Daryl moved down the walkway to Sophia’s room (he refused to call them cells), and knocked on the bars. “Hey ‘Phia; you just about ready? I want to get an early start. Hopefully we can get a deer, and maybe a turkey. But we gotta have breakfast first. Get a move on.” He said and started walking toward the stairs. Before he’d gotten more than two rooms away Sophia was out of her room and walking next to him. Daryl was glad she was easy to rouse. He remembered some of Merle’s girls sleeping until afternoon and he hated having to tiptoe around. Daryl ate his breakfast quickly and told Sophia he’d be waiting outside for her. When she finally came out they headed for the gate.

“Mom told me to tell you to hold onto as much fat from whatever you catch today. She also told me to get a lot of pine needles, and to ask you to help me find any other edible plants to bring back.” Sophia said as they left the prison and headed for the tree line. 

“Ok, she probably wants to start trying to make our own soap. Smart thinking. Once we get into the trees I need you to stay close and keep quiet.” Daryl explained that even a little noise could be heard by the animals, so if they wanted to catch anything today they needed to be silent and blend in with the forest. They hadn’t been out there for more than 10 minutes, Daryl had just caught the tracks of what he thought was a pretty sizable buck, when they both heard the moan-and-shuffle of Walkers. “’Phia I want you to get up in that tree as high as you can. I’ll whistle for ya to come down when it’s safe. Go now. I won’t let anything happen.” Daryl said just as the first of the Walkers came into view. There were probably 10 or 15 of them and Daryl did his best to keep ahead of them. He knew if Sophia was watching and saw him even stumble it would scare her. He moved a fair distance away to keep them from catching the girl’s scent. It was 20 minutes before he got back to her. Sophia scrambled down the tree as quickly and safely as she could but she was scared and crying and ended up pretty much falling the last 10 feet or so. Daryl moved to catch her and stiffened up when she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. Daryl was just about to suggest they head back to the prison when Sophia calmed and disentangled herself from him. 

“Oh my God! I was so scared. Are we gonna keep hunting, or do we have to go home now?” Sophia asked wiping the tears from her face.

Daryl could tell this girl had moxy, and she’d be ok. “We’ll keep going, I didn’t have to use a gun so we shouldn’t have alerted any others to the fact that we’re here. But if we run across another group like that we’re going back.” He knew that the way they’d been planning on going, the way the Walkers had come from, wouldn’t have any viable game so he shifted their direction. He quickly found another set of deer tracks and showed them to Sophia. 

“This one’s smaller than the other one.” She said and Daryl had to wonder if she’d ever been hunting before

“How can you tell?” He was honestly curious. 

“The ground is the same here as it was in the other spot but the deer’s footprints aren’t as deep. That means it’s lighter, and probably smaller.” She smiled proudly up at him and laughed at his confused face. “My mom’s brother used to hunt. He would tell me little stuff like that whenever we used to visit him and my grandparents. Before things got really bad with my dad.” 

“Well I’m glad to see you’ll be of some use out here. Come on the prints are pretty fresh, we should be able to catch up with him if we’re quick.” Daryl said moving silently through the woods once again. A short time later Daryl could hear water moving. So there was a small river, or creek around here. That was probably where the deer was headed. They got the deer; and Daryl decided not to press their luck looking for anything else. He explained field dressing to the girl and watched her face scrunch up, just like Carol’s when something unpleasant was going to happen. “I won’t make ya do it this time. But eventually you’ll have to, it’s gotta be done as soon as possible after the kill.” Daryl took pity on the girl. “Did your mom send any big containers in that bag of yours?” 

“Yeah, she didn’t tell me what it was for though. I though maybe to hold more plants?” Sophia questioned.

“It can be but for now I need you to take it down to the stream and fill it full with water. I might need you to do that a few times.” Daryl explained. 

There’s a bit of a celebration when they get back to the prison with the deer. Daryl makes sure to heap as much praise on Sophia as the others give him. Life at the prison begins to take on some semblance of normalcy, they have a routine and it’s stuck to pretty rigorously. Daryl and Sophia go hunting every couple days. A month in Sophia manages to make her first kill. It’s a pretty sizable wild turkey. They decide to make a Thanksgiving dinner with it. Daryl goes on scavenge runs, what feels like every other day. But he always makes time to let Carol and Sophia know when he’s leaving, and they are the first people he seeks out when he gets back. And nine times out of 10 he’s got something special for one or both of them. He was afraid ‘Phia was going to have a heart attack when he brought back a teen magazine with some ridiculously overpaid pretty-boy on the front cover.

“You have just become her favorite person in the entire world.” Carol informed him after Sophia ran off to look through the magazine. 

“What, why? I didn’t do nothing.” Daryl declared. He wasn’t used to being anyone’s favorite anything.

“Just go with it. It’s a good thing.” Carol says then proceeds to stand on tiptoe and press a soft kiss to Daryl’s cheek. She doesn’t give him a chance to respond, just scurries off saying something about getting lunch. Daryl’s not really sure how he would have responded if he’d been given the opportunity. 

Rick and Glenn who’d been shifting supplies around had walked into the common room just in time to witness the gentle moment between the couple. They walked past Daryl smirking, like they had some big secret. ‘So what’ Daryl thought to himself; ‘let ‘em think they know something.’ With a satisfied nod Daryl made his way to the kitchen to see if he could snag a couple cookies that he knew Carol had baked. Daryl was careful not to be too optimistic; he knew he’d jinx it if he got to comfortable. But as he made his way out of the kitchen, with a cookie stuffed in his mouth and a smarting hand (from where Carol had whapped him with a wooden spoon), he took just a second to smile. He’d found a family, and he’d do anything to protect them.

Daryl knew it was too good to last; this peace they’d found. So he wasn’t completely surprised when, on a run over a day from the prison, he ran into Merle. They stood, on opposite ends of an aisle, facing each other with lines of empty shelves between them. They sized each other up for a long minute and Daryl was afraid it was going to come to weapons. Then a grin bloomed across Merle’s face and Daryl knew it was going to be ok. They met in the middle of the aisle and exchanged backslaps, and ‘what the fuck happened’s. There would be talking, and it would have to happen soon. But not right now. Right now there was celebrating to be done. They made their way back out onto the street after Daryl had collected what little was left in the well gone over pharmacy. They met up with Rick who gave a shocked once over to the older Dixon then they climbed into the vehicle and headed back to their temporary campsite. They worked together securing the area and the truck. Then they split their rations between them and ate in silence.

“What the hell happened, Merle? I assumed you were dead.” Daryl opened the conversation when he was done eating.

“I was out of my head with pain and withdrawal, about to give myself over to a herd when these men came out of nowhere and pulled me away. Took me to a safe zone, got me patched up. But man I been looking for a way to get away from there ever since I could think straight. The man in charge, calls himself The Governor, he’s batshit crazy, little brother. I’m surprised you two haven’t run into him and his merry band. Is it just the two of ya?” Merle asked taking a swig of water from the bottle Daryl offered him.

“No. We lost a few at the quarry, and picked a few up, along the way. We’re holed up at a prison about a days drive from here. Is this ‘Governor’ gonna come looking for you?” Daryl offered hoping he wasn’t making a mistake telling his brother all this information.

“Probably, I wouldn’t put it past him. Sum’Bitch is crazy. But if you got a prison and people to guard it I think we’ll be ok.” Merle looked like there was more he wasn’t telling, Daryl wondered what it would take to get it out of him.

“Listen, I have no beef with you. I’d like to keep it that way. If you’re coming into the prison I can’t have you going off like you did on that roof in Atlanta. Is your ride loaded up? Do you wanna follow us back to the prison, or ride with us?” Daryl was surprised Rick was being as magnanimous as he was; but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He had good people waiting for him back at the prison, and his brother was with him again. The rest they could deal with as it came. 

“If it’s all the same to you, Officer Friendly, I need to talk to my brother. So he can ride with me, we’ll follow you back.” Ok then, Daryl had his answer. They’d talk on the road. Daryl nodded once to let Rick know he was okay riding with Merle. He was half tempted to suggest they start back right now. Rick must have seen it in him because he recommended it before Daryl could open his mouth to ask. 

As they drove Merle filled Daryl in on his short time with The Governor. He’d given Merle time to heal, and come off the cocktail of drugs that had kept him from feeling anything for well over 20 years. “After I was back on my feet though, I was told I’d be going on scavenge runs. I thought it’d be like with the quarry group. You know, going for supplies, just what was needed; and that would have been ok. But that weren’t the way of it. We was expected to kill anyone we came across. Walker, or not; men, women, little kids. I refused; got the hell out. Been running for months, trying to keep a head of his men. Haven’t seen hide nor hair of ‘em for a couple weeks. So I’m thinking I lost ‘em. But I’m not getting my hopes up.” 

Daryl took in what Merle had said and worried. This Governor didn’t sound like the type to just give up on a person like Merle. A person he thought could be used, and molded as the Governor saw fit. But that wasn’t Merle at all. Merle knew his own mind, and he had scruples; even if they were a little lax on occasion. “Well you’re back with us now, and we ain’t letting you go for nothing.” 

As soon as they got back to the prison Daryl could tell something was wrong. Even though they were back early he expected Sophia and Carol to greet him. What he got was a frantic Sophia who looked like her world had ended. Something had happened to Carol. Daryl felt the bottom go out of his stomach. Carol was gone and he hadn’t been here to stop it. As soon as she saw him, Sophia latched on and her tears fell even harder. He knew she was trying to talk, but he couldn’t understand her though her crying. “Sophia, you have to calm down. I can’t understand what you’re saying. Take a couple deep breaths. Calm down, and tell me where your mom is.” Daryl requested softly, trying to sooth the girl who’d come to mean so much to him. 

“She went with T-Dog to check out the rest of the cell block. He found a map, or something, in the warden’s office, and said there was an infirmary, and a library. They went looking as soon as they figured it out. That was a little bit after you left. And they’re not back yet.” She started sobbing again, and buried her face in Daryl’s neck. Daryl sought out Rick and saw the same thoughts that were in his own mind. Missing for two days, God only knows what else is running around the prison. Not a good situation. Daryl would get Sophia calmed down, then go looking for Carol. They’d come so far, the three of them, from who they’d been at the quarry, he couldn’t lose either one of them now. 

He got Sophia calmed down, and made her promise to stay in her room until he came for her. “I need to know you’re safe while I’m looking for your mom. I can’t be worried about you running around too. You got me?” He asked making sure she had the doll that was given to her just before they left the quarry.

“I got you, I’ll stay here. Just, please find her.” Sophia asked, teary eyed as she lay back down facing the wall. 

As Daryl left the little girl’s room and headed for the stairs that would take him back to the common room, he was met with his brother’s questioning gaze. “What’s all that about? That the little girl who’s dad was beatin’ on his wife? The little mousey one? Why ain’t he here?” Merle asked matching Daryl’s stride as they made their way down the steps. 

“Walkers attacked the quarry, he didn’t make it. I’ve been looking out for ‘em ever since. Found Sophia when she got separated from the group. There’s a lot’s happened since we saw each other last. But if I hear you been giving either of ‘em trouble Walkers will be the last thing you have to worry about.” Daryl promised, and made his way over to where Rick was looking over a faded blueprint of the prison.

By the time he found her Daryl feared the worst. She was sitting on the floor of a solitary cell, head tipped back against the wall. She looked as faded as the walls around her. Daryl crouched down next to Carol, knife still held at the ready. “Carol, woman; d’ya hear me? Need you to say something. You best not be thinking of turning here. Come on, Carol. I need you; Sophia needs you.” Daryl stayed crouched he wouldn’t leave until he knew for sure. Several long moments passed before Carol turned her head. She opened her eyes slowly and Daryl let out a breath when he saw they were their normal, vibrant blue; and not the clouded over white of the Walkers. She looked like she wanted to say something. “Don’t try to talk. I’m gonna get you out of here.”

Carol was insistent, “T-dog’s gone. He let himself.” She couldn’t finish whether from emotion or exhaustion Daryl wasn’t sure. 

“”I understand. Hush, now; woman. Save your strength. Your little girl’s all worried about you.” Daryl responded lifting Carol into his arms. As he carried her out of the tombs Daryl realised he’d carry this woman out of Hell if he had to, and he’d fight every demon along the way. 

There was a tense silence hanging in the air when Daryl made his way back to the common room. He wondered how his brother could have ruffled feathers in the couple hours he was gone. Daryl kept a firm hold on Carol and gestured that he was taking her to her room; Hershel followed saying something to the group that kept them in place. He watched while Hershel made Carol comfortable and moved away when the older man started issuing orders for his daughters to bring him the items he would need to take care of her. 

Daryl moved to Sophia’s room and knocked, lightly before entering. “I found your mom. She’s fine. Hershel’s looking at her now. I’d imagine he’ll say she needs plenty of rest over the next few days. So tomorrow you’ll come hunting with me. That sound good to you?” 

“She’s ok? She’s not gonna turn? You promise?” Sophia asked rolling to face Daryl.

“I promise, ‘Phia. I will never lie to you. Your momma’s gonna be just fine.” Daryl reassured. Then, making sure the girl was tucked into bed; he left and headed back to his and Carol’s room. 

It had been almost a month since Daryl had brought Carol back from the tombs, and things had gotten back to an even keel. Everyone was on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it did no one was expecting it. 

Daryl and Merle were in the tower on watch; Merle was trying to make a point about something or other, Daryl had lost the thread of the conversation several minutes before; when the bottom dropped out. Someone was making their slow, shuffling way up to the gate. They weren’t a Walker, yet; but Daryl could tell they were bad off. Daryl ran to the gate while Merle kept watch. It was Lori. 

“Take the baby.” She said even before the gate was open. “I was scratched two days ago, I’ve been fighting like hell, but I know I’ve got a fever. Just take the baby and take care of her.” Daryl wasn’t even sure Lori realized she was giving the baby to someone who knew her.

“Lori, it’s Daryl. Come on inside. Rick and Carl will want to see you.” Daryl said as he got the gate open. She seemed to perk up at the mention of her husband and son.

“Oh my god, Rick and Carl are here?” Lori said, Daryl could tell she wasn’t completely with it. His goal right now was to get her inside.

“Yeah come on. I’ll take you to them.” Daryl said leading the woman up to the big concrete building.

Merle had come down from the tower after Daryl got the gate closed and was in the right place to catch the baby as Lori stumbled and almost dropped it. 

Rick had put Lori down about two hours later when she fell into a coma that Hershel said she’d come back dead from. Daryl could tell Rick was devastated, he held the baby for a minute then handed her off to Carol before blindly making his way out to the yard. 

“We’re going to need supplies. Daryl, will you run to the truck if I make you a list?” Carol asked rocking the baby gently, in an effort to get her to calm down. 

“Yeah, sure. But you gotta promise, no exploring while I’m gone this time.” Daryl teased easily. He’d been thinking about making a run to the truck for a very specific non essential for a little while. So this would be the perfect opportunity. 

“I’ll go with ya. If that’s ok?” Merle asked. Daryl was more than ok with it. He’d just gotten his brother back; he didn’t want to risk losing him again. 

“Yeah that’s fine with me. We should leave right away; it’ll take us a while to get there and I’m assuming the stuff you’ll need is pretty urgent.” Daryl directed the last statement to Carol. 

“Yeah, I’ll get to making that list. Beth can you take the baby? Crap, Lori didn’t mention a name to anyone did she? Does anyone know what she was thinking of calling the baby?” No one spoke up as Carol had really been the only one that had been close with Lori; so she was likely the one that would have been privy to name choices. 

“Maybe Rick’ll have some idea of what they would have named a girl baby.” Hershel offered moving to where his youngest was shifting from foot to foot, like carol had done; in an effort to also comfort the child. 

It took them the better part of three days to get to the truck and back. Mostly because of a walker herd, and some of the Governors men, looking for Merle. The Governor was with them, apparently not trusting his men to get the job done. When Merle saw the man he snagged Daryl’s crossbow off his shoulder.

“Damn it Merle. What are you doing? You can’t fire that thing one handed!” Daryl whispered as loudly as he dared. 

Merle looked at the weapon, disgruntled. “Shit. You’re right, little brother. You gotta do it. Take him out; he’s a bad man. He’ll hurt your new little family, sure as I’m standing here.” Merle gave the bow back to Daryl pointing out which man was the one to be taken out. “You sure you’re up for this? I’m just worried that group done made you soft.” 

With those words ringing in his ear Daryl took aim and fired. Taking the governor down, with a head shot, before he even knew what hit him. They made quick, quiet work of the five men that were with him and were quickly back on their way toward home. It was weird that Daryl thought of the prison as home, but he felt like it could be that for him; for them. 

They’d gotten a good haul of baby stuff from the truck and Sophia, along with Rick had managed to bring down what she thought was the buck she and Daryl had seen their first time out. So there was a bit of a party atmosphere when the brothers finally made it back to the prison. Daryl felt the weight of the little velvet box in his pocket a hundred fold all night long. But now wasn’t the time to give it. He spent the better part of the evening surrounded by Carol, Sophia, Carl, and baby Jude (or Judith as was her full name), and he enjoyed himself more than he ever thought possible. Daryl watched, and nudged Carol curiously as Merle seemed to single out the younger Greene girl to bestow his attentions upon.

“Is this something we should worry about? He seems a little rough for her.” Carol mused just loud enough for Daryl to hear. 

“Nah, he’s really a big ole Teddy Bear underneath the gruffness.” Daryl responded pulling Carol closer to him with an arm around her waist. Daryl had everything he needed, and he wasn’t going to let it get away.


End file.
